Browne expects no more resignations in donations row

Published on Saturday 26 January 2008 19:47

CABINET minister Des Browne has predicted that no more high-profile Labour politicians will be forced to resign in the donations row.

Peter Hain quit the Cabinet last week after his case was passed to the police by the Electoral Commission, which was investigating him over the late declaration of more than 100,000 in donations.

Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander is also being investigated by the Electoral Commission after her campaign team accepted an illegal donation during her party leadership campaign. The verdict on her is expected this week.

Pressure has been mounting on Alexander to fall on her sword but in a bullish interview Browne, the Scottish Secretary and Defence Secretary, said he expected she would stay in her position.

The Kilmarnock and Loudoun MP also said he did not expect any more of his colleagues to be reported to the police over the issue.

Browne said he expected his colleagues to be exonerated, and added: "The people who have been involved in this, in my view, have all acted honestly. These are all decent people.

"Peter Hain is a good man, a very good politician, a valued colleague of mine. I am absolutely satisfied that he will be able to clear his name in relation to this when he is given the space and time to do it, and that's why he's resigned from the Government. I don't expect that any of the rest of my colleagues will need to resign from any positions that they are in."

A Jersey-based businessman gave 950 to Alexander's campaign after an approach from her team, in what her supporters later conceded was a breach of the electoral law requiring donations to be from UK voters or companies.

Alexander said of Hain's departure: "I think resignations are always a matter for the individual."

Of her own position, she added: "I said at the start of this that I was confident the Electoral Commission would find no intentional wrongdoing on my part, and I remain so."